So when the appearance of a disgraced cardinal threatened to cast a shadow over his first engagement, Francis I made sure it couldnt happen again  by banning him from his own church.

Cardinal Bernard Law resigned as Archbishop of Boston in 2002, after being accused of actively covering up for a litany of paedophile priests.

Despite the scandal which exploded to engulf the entire church, he was given an honorary position at the Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore, in Rome.

Though now retired, the cardinal still enjoys a grace and favour apartment in the cathedral complex. So hearing that the new Pope was offering prayers at the very same church, it seems he couldnt resist a discreet peak.

But when Pope Francis recognised him, he immediately ordered that Law be removed, according to Italian media reports. He went on to command: He is not to come to this church any more.

One of the new Popes first acts will be to arrange new cloistered accommodation for the disgraced cardinal, the Italian daily, Il Fatto Quotidiano, reported.

Holder is the US Attorney Corporal ... Law was associated with offenses which are State crimes. The Commonwealth's Attorney had a shot at him, and couldn't find anything criminal. Being a dirtbag and a lousy Bishop is not a crime.

58
posted on 03/15/2013 3:43:56 PM PDT
by ArrogantBustard
(Western Civilization is Aborting, Buggering, and Contracepting itself out of existence.)

Thanks very much. I read both articles. A little confusing with the translations, but it’s clear that Pope Francis has no use for Law and won’t tolerate his presence. I’m not sure he’s willing to sanction Law’s continued residency in Santa Maria Maggiore.

The Massachusetts AG actually sent troopers to Cardinal Law’s residence to serve him with papers one afternoon. The person answering the door claimed Law wasn’t at home. The next day Cardinal Law took the first Al Italia flight out of Logan Airport. First class, of course.

62
posted on 03/15/2013 3:54:48 PM PDT
by ladyjane
(For the first time in my life I am not proud of my country.)

I didn’t anticipate your reaction to this simple post.
“Why isn’t he just fired and told to move on, kicked out of the church’s big boys, and sent back to regular American living as an ordinary person?”

Your right,I know a lot of pissed off Catholic.Throw these dirtbags in jail.If they can’t be locked up shame them and get rid of them.What about a Catholic court to get rid of the scum if they can’t be arrested.The people who are protecting them should be locked up too.Send them to Philly forget the Vatican.We are locking up all their asses.

We have to figure out a way to reach the average Catholic voter, and I think that some highly visible cases of public humiliation and rejection, and even excommunication, or in Law’s case, removal from the hierarchy and being reduced to normal citizen status and mere pew sitter, would receive massive publicity and would penetrate into the Catholic rank and file and the immigrants.

We need some flash and dazzle, some heavy public battles and publicity to reach the average people who don’t keep up with much media and make them realize that they better get with the program and start voting as Christians.

Your link has nothing to do with Cardinal Law. Law was investigated, but not indicted, which means there’s no “statute of limitations” issue which could arise. That only has to do with the time between a commission of a criminal offense and the filing of an arrest warrant identifying the subject.

The Massachusetts AG actually sent troopers to Cardinal Laws residence to serve him with papers one afternoon. The person answering the door claimed Law wasnt at home. The next day Cardinal Law took the first Al Italia flight out of Logan Airport. First class, of course.

Don't know where you got your info. Cardinal Law stayed in Boston while the Attorney General did his investigation. After the AG had his press conference stating that the State wasn't going to charge the Cardinal with any crimes, Law left Boston, and went to Maryland, where he stayed in a monastery for a year, in prayer.

After THAT, he moved to Rome to live at the Basilica of St. Mary Major, which was his parish in Rome (I believe every active Cardinal has a 'home parish' in Rome). Now that Law has reached retirement age, and is no longer an Active Cardinal, he is now Cardinal Emeritus of St. Mary Major, and there is an active Cardinal in his place.

Here's what Ive been able to dig up over the years. If any of this is inaccurate, I will be grateful to be corrected.

Cardinal Law was fully investigated by the state Attorney General and the district attorneys in all five counties of the Archdiocese. He gave evidence before two grand juries. The state Attorney General, after several years of aggressive press and intense scrutiny, concluded that Law had not tried to evade investigation and had not broken any laws.

If there were a warrant against Cardinal Law, nothing in US and International law would have shielded from extradition or indictment. Certainly not the mere fact that he was, and is resident in Rome. He could be picked up by the Italian police any day as he traveled to and from Sta. Maria Maggiore, which is on Italian, not Vatican City, territory.

Ladyjane, you make the interesting charge that The Massachusetts AG actually sent troopers to Cardinal Laws residence to serve him with papers one afternoon.

Can you provide a link on that? A date? I havent seen that in the press.

If that's true, why wasnt he extradited?

Upon turning 80 in November 2011, Law became ineligible to participate in any papal conclave or to hold any Curial memberships, and was replaced as archpriest of Sta Maria Maggiore more than a year ago, by Archbishop Santos Abril y Castelló.

As I said before, I would appreciate any updates or correction with, of course, links.

It didn’t mention Cardinal Law, nor the place where he had jurisdiction, nor any case with which he was involved. The grand jury in Mass. isn’t going to reopen the case against Law based on stuff that happened in a completely different case involving different people 2000 miles away.

I am no expert in Canon Law, but as I understand it, if Cardinal Law were laicized, he would no longer be under clerical supervision. Therefore nobody in the Church could actually order him, e.g. into a monastery, or anyplace else.

If this is true, it's better for him to be in the clergy, and under supervision, rather than "kicked out" and not under supervision.

My recollection - which gets faultier by the minute - is that there were rumblings about possibly seeking an indictment against Law on some sort of conspiracy charges. To date, it hadn't been tried against the Church hierarchy. Before it could happen, Law beat a path out of dodge.

My recollections aren't always accurate anymore, but I really was of the impression that Law was afraid to come back to Boston. If I'm wrong, why is he retired in another country instead of spending his final years near family and friends.

Here in Philadelphia, if Cardinal Bevilacqua hadn't died, I have no doubt he'd be sitting in a cell next to Msgr. Lynn and serving a longer sentence

The Massachusetts AG actually sent troopers to Cardinal Laws residence to serve him with papers one afternoon. The person answering the door claimed Law wasnt at home. The next day Cardinal Law took the first Al Italia flight out of Logan Airport. First class, of course.

And then he later returned to Boston and testified. He is not a fugitive from justice. Read the Wikipedia page on him if you don't believe me.

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